Blair tries to bury the scandals

Tony Blair today set out to breathe fresh life into his administration and draw a line under the scandals that have been dogging it.

His speech to Labour supporters at the London School of Economics was designed to drag the agenda back to his core message - the drive to improve schools, hospitals and transport.

The Prime Minister believes the Government's credibility has been damaged by the "Steelgate" affair and the resignations surrounding Transport Secretary Stephen Byers. This has not yet filtered through to opinion polls, where Labour still has a big lead, but ministers acknowledge there is a need to try to show they are in command of events.

Labour has also faced a big decline in membership, down to 280,000 compared with 405,000 just after the 1997 general election, and has debts of up to £10 million.

Mr Blair, stung by accusations that he lacks a guiding political philosophy, was today aiming to point the way forward for Labour's second term. One senior aide said: "He will show there is still life left in the project after five years."

Meanwhile, union leaders urged Mr Blair to reaffirm pledges on improving services and to withdraw his claims that public-service workers were among "wreckers" seeking to obstruct reforms.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison public service union, said: "Our message to the Prime Minister is clear ... tell public servants how you are going to deliver on your election pledges."